Up in Smoke (Soulmate AU)

Holy Fuck.

   She avoided Izuku for a bit after that.

She wasn't answering his texts or his phone calls. She barely said a word to him throughout the weekend. Did he do something wrong? Was the hug too much? Had he overstepped his boundaries and now she wanted nothing to do with him? It was driving him into a frenzy.

Especially - Especially, when she decided to sit with the girls again for lunch on Monday. That's when his anxiety piqued. She didn't realize what she was doing to him but he was lost without her. Like a stray cat ~ wondering aimlessly. Disconnected. Inverted.

He couldn't talk to Iida and Uraraka like he did her. Couldn't spend hours over the phone with them. Or dick around in his room when they didn't have homework. He was going through withdrawals and needed her more and more by the second.

But right now he was sitting with Todoroki. Studying for a test he'd probably pass without the effort put in to cram. He needed a place holder. Something to take up his time while he drove himself insane. Todoroki was good for the quiet. He found his silence comforting and his regularly stoic attitude grounding. He was glad he stopped by his dorm when he did. He was sure he'd have already jumped off the deep end by now.

Todoroki was sitting across from him at his computer table. Turning a blank sheet of copy paper into a makeshift rubric he could use for the test. He probably didn't need it but it was always good to be careful. "Midoriya."

"Hm."

"Your hero analysis book." He swiveled his chair to face his spot on the bed. "Can I see it? I'm double checking."

Izuku nodded as he absentmindedly grabbed one of the books to his side. One that was already open. "Here you go, Todoroki-kun."

Todoroki gave him a thankful nod before turning his back to him again, leaving Izuku to his thoughts.

It had to have been the hug. He just couldn't help himself. After that night in her bedroom ~ after waking up beside her and the way she looked at him, the way she let her fingers glide against his arm. And good God the way she said his name. Izuku. Nothing sounded better - Nothing was more satisfying than hearing it melt over her lips. He'd do anything to hear it again.

I mean, it wasn't like she cowered away from him when he embraced her, she hugged him back. Wrapped her arms around him ~ He could still smell the cinnamon on her skin. Freshly baked sugar cookies that wafted over to him from afar, but if he was close enough - just close enough, he could smell her natural fragrance. Tropical. Like coconut and island winds. She was a walking vacation ~ a Tahiti liberty. He'd never come back if he could. Nothing about her in that moment seemed even the slightest bit off. No stagnation in body language. No resistance whatsoever. I mean she would have pushed him off if she thought he was going too far - wouldn't have kept quiet about it. She was never afraid of voicing those kinds of things. But she didn't. She hugged him back. So what did he do wrong?

"Midoriya."

"Hm."

"Um.." His voice sounded a little unpoised. He was avoiding eye contact when he turned to him. "This isn't your hero analysis book."

"Hm? Then what is it?"

"It's..." He paused for a moment. "It's your notes? Er- On the new student."

He furrowed. "My- Oh... Oh, fu- Oh my god!" He snatched the booklet out of his classmate's hand. "Todoroki-kun, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." It really wasn't.

Midoriya passed him his actual hero analysis book and watched as he quickly turned his back to him again. His fingers slightly hesitating before he opened it this time.